Here I go again on my owwwwwn! Anybody else singing that on repeat? Actually, it seems like people are socializing way more lately, but I’m still being very cautious. I’m seeing sooo many people going to restaurants (outdoor dining, obviously) in groups of six, with tables spread apart…but that kinda counteracts the whole social distancing thing, right? You do you, but we know this is carried by asymptomatic people so just because your friend seems healthy doesn’t mean you’re not contracting the virus on your boat hang. Also, if someone is lax enough to go to dinner with you because “neither of you has been sick,” I’m guessing they’re not super stringent with the distancing and disinfecting rules in general. If this pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that people are simply going to do whatever they want to do. That’s cool – I’ll just keep doing me…even if it’s a boring, lonely version of me that I’m doing. Thankfully, there’s some great content right now – and in case you missed previous posts, catch up on Part 5, Part 4, Part 3, Part 2, and Part 1.
Activities
- Cooking/Recipes:
- Toaster Strudel – I’ve bought some fun jams lately and can’t wait to make some homemade toaster strudel using puff pastry.
- Caviar – I bought a jar of cheap caviar on Amazon and am having so much fun putting it in random dishes. Even though it’s not the high quality stuff, it still tastes good and elevates a dish.
- Miso – I recently made miso butter for steaks and now want to put it on everything. It comes in a massive tub that I’ll never get through, but I welcome all ideas. It’s going to go on some swordfish tonight. Bring on the umami!
- Other Activities:
- Whitney Houston and Britney Spears Bike/Run/Strength – I wrote about the Dolly run in my last quarantine post but now we’ve got the Whitney classes! And Britney! Also, I took the All For One classes on Peloton and loved the multi-instructor experience as a way to mix things up.
- Pelothon – I am most motivated to workout when there’s a challenge or gamification of some sort so I’m loving Pelothon, a 4-week challenge on Peloton where you can power up with team spirit (I’m on the #BreakthroughCrew) and earn badges. It’s like Color Wars for grownups!
- Learning ASL – I’ve tried to teach myself ASL (sign language) before but was unsuccessful. Now I’m giving it another go, thanks to TikTok and an app. While we’re on the subject, here’s an interesting article about being deaf in prison. It’s heartbreaking.
- 50 At-Home Activities – This list is amazing
Content
- Books:
- Trick Mirror – So many [millennial] women said this – a collection of essays on how our self-focused society shapes us – was their favorite book of 2019. One year later, it’s time to find out if I love it as much as my fellow millennial gals did.
- The Water Cure – It’s been quite a few months since I’ve read any dystopian fiction and I need a fix. This one, about three girls raised on a secluded island to fear men, should do the trick.
- Between the World and Me – In a letter to his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates tries to explain what it’s like to be a black man in America, pulling from both history and experience.
- Kinship of Secrets – This one popped up as a recommendation based on other books I’ve enjoyed so I’m looking forward to giving it a shot. Summary: a family immigrates to America in 1948 with one young daughter, leaving their other daughter in war-torn Korea with extended family.
- Movies:
- Muriel’s Wedding – I like the idea of working my way through a list of “Best [x] Movies of All Time” like this one. I certainly haven’t seen all of these but the one I’ve put at the top of my list is Muriel’s Wedding because I love Toni Colette and the premise seems great.
- BlaKkKlansman – This is one of those movies I never saw because I wanted to see it in theaters but didn’t get the chance before it left. Well, it’s very easily accessible to stream right now, which we just did, and it’s incredible. It’s ballsy and in-your-face in a brilliant way.
- Disclosure – This documentary provides a great timeline of the transgender community and how it has been portrayed in film. It’s a very interesting evolution with illuminating commentary by those who have been watching (and living) the change over time. (On Netflix)
- Desperados – A madcap adventure? Sure, why not? (On Netflix)
- TV:
- Riverdale – I mentioned wanting to start bingeing this back in my first or second quarantine post. Well, I’ve started and I’m addicted. (On Netflix)
- The Babysitters Club – I can’t believe that I’m not only old enough to see a reboot of this show/books but to see a reboot where Alicia Silverstone plays a mom of three teens. It’s an adorable version. (On Netflix)
- Crazy Delicious – This isn’t my favorite cooking show, but it’s not bad to have on in the background and I like seeing the chefs come up with very unique takes on traditional ingredients. (On Netflix)
- Normal People – Now that I’ve finished the book, I started the tv show and really enjoying it. It’s following the book pretty closely so far. (On Hulu)
- Indian Matchmaking – Matchmaking can be a real part of Indian culture (think of it as internet dating but with several extra layers of vetting) and I loved watching it in action. It was like Millionaire Matchmaker without all the salacious, made for tv nonsense. (On Netflix.)
- Podcasts:
- Movie Therapy – It’s like Dear Abby but with movie recommendations as a response to audience questions instead of traditional advice.
- This Moment – The “moment” in the title of this podcast is the convergence of the pandemic and black lives matter movement that’s happening right now. Hosted by two famous Swedes, chef Marcus Samuelsson and musician Jason Diakite, you get local perspectives on the most pressing global issues from the locations (Stockholm & Harlem) that are at the heart of things.
Peaches to Apples 